The Houthi militia - Iran's arm in Yemen, has escalated campaigns of collecting and imposing royalties under the names of "taxes and customs duties" in various Yemeni governorates under its control.

Traders in Sanaa reported that, during the past few days, the Houthis imposed a price increase in the tax and customs rates they approved to allow the entry of goods to citizens in areas under their control.

They pointed out that the Houthis imposed a new increase in customs fees collected by their land or even sea ports through the port of Hodeidah, in addition to tax fees, value-added tax, income tax, and profits tax, which were raised to 140%.

The Houthi militias also decided to impose new levies on merchants, including fees for the Teacher and Education Support Fund, and support for the Martyrs and Wounded Care Fund and other funds they established to reap the largest amount of money and levies imposed on merchants and citizens.

Farmers and owners of animals and poultry were not spared from the imposition of fees and royalties, which have become burdensome on citizens and lead to further deterioration of living in areas controlled by Iran’s arm.

Poultry and livestock merchants in Sanaa explained that they were surprised by the Houthis imposing a new tax under the name of “Supporting the Prophet’s Birthday.” Which led to a significant increase in the prices of meat and poultry.

Merchants pointed out that citizens are now unable to buy red meat or poultry due to the escalating rise in prices due to the taxes imposed by the Houthi militias under multiple names.

One of the merchants said: The Houthi decision includes imposing an amount of 300 Yemeni riyals for each chicken supplied in the market, explaining that the sales process decreased significantly, especially with the price of one chicken in the market reaching about 4 thousand riyals.

He added that this measure was accompanied by the continued ban on the import of chicken imported from abroad. Within the plan to monopolize the market and enable the group to earn the largest amount of money from imposing taxes on local chicken.

The Houthi taxes came with the blessing of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which had a new leadership loyal to the militias appointed after its headquarters in Sanaa was stormed about two months ago as part of a plan to control trade and the economy.